Sunday, December 20, 2015

Gift Ideas for Writers

Welcome back to my last installment in The Proper Care and
Feeding of a Writer. This week, I’ll be focusing on last minute things you can
get for your writer friends if you still haven’t bought them anything. Because
I’m a writer (and therefore part-crazy), half the items on this list are bound
to be crazy, while the other half are serious. Have fun trying to decipher which
is which.

A vacation to your writer’s favorite place ($700-your rent
for the next 5 years)

Does your writer friend like The Hobbit and The Lord of
the Rings? How about a trip to New Zealand? What about The River of Time
series? How about a trip to Italy? How inspirational would it be to visit a place that
serves as the basis for a fictional story!

Journals ($7-10)

If you don’t know the person very well,
this is your standard writer gift. Even if writers say they don’t need anymore
(they already have 10), it’s okay to get them another. Who knows when they’ll
need another?

A typewriter ($12-150)
Call me old-fashioned, but how many
writers have not wondered what would happen if all technology suddenly crashed?
Sure, there would still be books to write in, but there is a beauty in the
sound of clicking keys.

A time machine (Does anybody actually know how much these
cost? Amazon doesn’t carry them.)

I’m not talking about the book or any of the
movies (though those are pretty good). If you know somebody writing historical/futuristic
fiction, a time machine would be the perfect gift for the ultimate research
experience!

A book of their favorite genre or a writing book ($7-15)

Need I say more? Writers love books!

The writers favorite tea/coffee/chocolate ($1-$15)

Another form of inspiration to get the mind working properly: food and drink.

Tape ($1-5)

Scotch tape, duct tape, you name it! The
possibilities are endless. You can make crafts or fix things. FYI, I do not
condone purchasing duct tape for kidnapping.

Silly writer knickknacks ($2-15)

Anything from a pen to a
poster that reads, “Writer at Work, Do not Disturb” to a mug/t-shirt that
claims to represent the World’s Best Writer. These are especially good for
writers with a good sense of humor or writers who like to collect weird stuff.
References to Best Character or the Toughest Villain are a plus.

﻿﻿﻿

Can’t decide between a pet and plant? Get
both!

Meet Mars, my first Venus fly trap.

A pet/houseplant ($5-1000)
Also known as writing buddies,
pets and houseplants can serve as a wonderful means of distraction aside from
people. If your writer friend spends too much time staring at a computer screen
or with a pen in hand, a puppy, a cat, or even a prickly pear cactus can be
enough reason for the writer to step away. Although these writing buddies don’t
actually give critical feedback, they can pose for the camera when the writer
should be writing.

An honest review on Goodreads, Amazon, etc. (Free!)

Considering
how much time and effort writers put into their stories, any feedback would be
welcome! Remember, keep it honest, keep it polite, and writers will love you!

A clean work environment (Free!)

If a writer is struggling with writer’s block, one of the
first things he/she will do is look for some sort of distraction, like
cleaning. Make sure this person works well with this. Some people work better
with clutter than without.

A hug (Priceless)

Depending on the writer, with permission
of course. Who doesn’t like hugs? I sure do!